Watching the Yuvi show was special

Sourav Ganguly

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Updated: Dec 30, 2012 02:30 IST

The wicket at Motera was an absolute beauty. It has always been a high-scoring venue and the ground staff had prepared a belter. When a team puts the opposition in, there is the fear of the batting side running away with the game. The huge total India put on the board put enormous pressure on Pakistan.

One cannot criticise the Pakistan captain for putting India in as that has been the way teams have gone in the last four games in India. So, Mohd Hafeez was right in fielding first but Yuvraj Singh's fantastic knock put India in a terrific position.

Once again, he proved what a match-winner he is in the shorter format of the game. He hit seven sixes and this is not the first time he has done so. Innings of such calibre will always remain special and be remembered for a long time. The way he took on Saeed Ajmal was a treat to watch, and one doesn't see Ajmal getting treated like this in limited-overs cricket.

Credit should be given to Pakistan for the way they went about chasing the total. India's bowling has been their weak link but Pakistan batted out of their skins to get close to the total. Hafeez is in the form of his life and his timing was one of the best I have seen from a Pakistan batsman. For India, Ashok Dinda and R Ashwin were outstanding.

Pakistan have looked good so far and their fielding has been exemplary, something one is not used to seeing. Playing India at home is never easy and at no stage in this two-match series have they looked below par.

The teams move to Chennai for the first of the three one-day games. The weather doesn't look good and the people there will be lucky to get a game.

There will be changes in both the sides and India will be bolstered by the addition of Sehwag, who has played well against Pakistan but will be under pressure to deliver. Pakistan will be happy to have Shoaib Malik back in the one-day side along with Mohd Irfan.